OPELIKA, Ala. – Alabama high schools are severely limiting attendance at football games this season because of the coronavirus pandemic, and at least one canceled sports after deciding it wasn’t worth the risk to play.
Opelika High School said it will cap attendance at about 30% of the stadium’s normal capacity of 8,000 so fans can maintain proper social distancing, and Gulf Shores said attendance at athletic events will be cut by 50%.
Other schools are also announcing attendance reductions or still working on plans. The first football games are scheduled for next week, although some schools have delayed contests after players or staff tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19.
The moves follow an announcement by state health officials on Thursday that fans can attend games despite the pandemic. The agency asked schools to limit crowds and require anyone in attendance to wear face masks and keep away from other people to avoid spreading the virus.
At Opelika, a large Class 6A school, athletic director Mike Pugh said officials first planned to limit capacity to 50% but realized that was still too many people for everyone to stay 6 feet apart, the Opelika-Auburn News reported.